


Pride

by InfaWrit10



Series: Rare Ship Week 2 [1]
Category: Welcome to Hell - All Media Types
Genre: Happy Pride Month guys!, M/M, Rare Ship Week 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 09:00:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11310111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfaWrit10/pseuds/InfaWrit10
Summary: It's Pride month, and to celebrate, Zack gives his boyfriend an early-morning visit.Day 1 Prompt: Pride





	Pride

**Author's Note:**

> Now I don't think I'm gonna use the prompt as the title for each day of the week, but I wanted to use it with this one because I thought it tied the piece together nicely. Enjoy.

The sound of a noisemaker is a very distinct kind of obnoxious, especially when it wakes you up on a Saturday morning.

The noisemaker’s noise-maker was none other than Zack Melto, who made himself known with a long toot from the noisemaker which preceded and followed a, “HAPPY PRIDE MONTH, JONATHAN!”

“ _Jesus Christ!_ ” Jonathan folded the pillow over his ears, as they were currently ringing.

Sock, Jonathan’s trusty companion for about six months now, laughed hysterically after being momentarily scared shitless. Jonathan’s pillow couldn’t tune that out. It did, however, muffle the words of his boyfriend, even when he could still hear his voice.

He didn’t want to, but Jonathan lifted the edge of the pillow closest to Zack, anyway.

“You pissed?” Zack repeated, sounding guilty.

Sure, Jonathan was a little miffed, but he knew that if he said so, Zack would leave. And as riled and sleep-deprived as Zack could get him, he never truly wanted him to go away.

Jonathan rolled over onto his back, letting go of his pillow. “‘Guess not.” He shrugged.

“If you are, I’ll go,” Zack offered, gentlemanly.

“Don't tempt me,” Jonathan teased, sitting up with a smirk.

Zack hummed, striding over to the bed. He sat down, and leaned in to kiss the blonde good morning. The gentle sounds of their kisses were loud in the room.

Sock rolled his eyes, although he was fairly jealous that he never got to experience that in his lifetime.

The couple separated completely, and Zack asks, “Sleep well?”

“Yeah. I did.” Jonathan’s tone was spiteful, still.

“I thought you said you weren’t pissed!” Zack was smiling, but he sounded offended.

Jonathan chuckled, “Dude, I’m fuckin’ with you.”

Zack gave a low laugh, but it’s a distinctive one. It’s a warning, and Jonathan knew what was coming. He paled.

“If you’re about to do what I think you’re--” Jonathan was cut off when Zack picked him up off his bed--bridal-style, of course--just to embarrass him. He squirmed and cried out, “Fucking-- _Zack!_ Put me down!”

Zack laughed, loudly and victoriously. He spun them around a bit.

Sock was back to laughing like the hyena he is, rolling in the air with tears forming at his eyes, purely due to Jonathan’s reactions to the whole situation. “I love your boyfriend so much…” he manages, chest heaving. It was funny how much respect Sock had gained for Zack since Jonathan started dating him. At first, he had thought of Zack like any other jock, which, due to his history with them, was not good for Zack. Then, after Zack had exposed his love of musical theater and knack for getting under Jonathan’s skin, Sock grew to like him.

Jonathan groaned and continued fighting, before abruptly halting his actions. “I’m gonna end up kicking you one day.”

Zack scoffed, “Promises, promises.” Albeit reluctantly, he let Jonathan’s legs go and Jonathan skittered away from him. Zack lightheartedly laughed. Zack shoved his hands in the pockets of his letterman jacket, and watched his beautiful boyfriend straighten himself out.

It was when he made to jokingly smooth out his shirt that Jonathan looked down and was reminded that he was only in his boxers. His face grows red.

 _Of course…_ he thought. _Only me._

“Relax,” Zack throws his head to the side casually, looking up at a spot on Jonathan’s ceiling that has no significance whatsoever, “I’m not lookin’.”

Jonathan’s color brightened. The fact that Zack made a big deal about it made it so much worse. Jonathan knew Zack was kidding, and that he probably thought he was helping, but… he wasn’t. Jonathan was a bit of a wreck whenever something personal, like the subject of their bodies exposed in almost just their underwear, came up between the two. It was so bad that when Zack had asked what his taste in music was like on one of their first dates, Jonathan froze, and then stumbled to change the subject. In his defense, his music was way more personal to him than it probably should have been, but the rapidly-forming personal connection with Zack that he wasn’t ready for prevented him from sharing any too-sensitive a subject.

Don't misunderstand, Jonathan was fairly sure that he was falling in love with Zack, he just didn't know how to handle it. He had never felt this way about a guy before, or, frankly, about _anyone_ before. He’d experienced attraction, definitely, but he didn't really ever feel an emotional connection this strong with anyone in this way.

Jonathan huffed a sound of disgruntled unamusement, and turned a few shades darker when he said, “I don't care.”

Zack threw his hands up, “No no!” Then his voice grew softer, and Jonathan could swear he saw a tinge of red in Zack’s face. Zack brought his gaze to Jonathan’s face, and his face only, and let that tiny smirk that drove Jonathan’s body all sorts of crazy out into the open. “Jonathan, it’s fine.”

“And he respects you,” Sock swooned, clasping his hands together and throwing them near his head. Sock had been teasing Jonathan about the boy ever since he initially asked him out, and this time was no exception.

Jonathan couldn't help but throw a natural glare to the demon for a moment, and his face gave away his thought: _Shit!_

Jonathan had always been good about not reacting to Sock in public, but why _now_ did he screw up so openly?!

Zack glanced to the space in Jonathan’s room. There was no one there.

Zack made a face, “You still seein’ things?” And he cringed, probably because it sounded a little rude.  "Sorry, that sounded rude."

Jonathan stared off to the side, having the lack of an answer be an answer.

Zack stepped towards Jonathan slowly, ready to be pushed away or told to leave some space.

Jonathan, to everyone’s surprise, did not.

Jonathan knew that even if what he was experiencing wasn't love, Zack was still a really special guy, and having him being the one to hold his heart was an honor. He needed to let someone in, he _wanted_ to let someone in, and that someone, for reasons unknown, was Zack Melto.

_Oh Jesus, where do I put my hands? Where do--? Okay, his hands are on my waist._

"Is this all right?” Zack murmured.

With only a moment’s pause, Jonathan answered just as quietly as he placed his hands-- _am I shaking, really?_ \--on Zack's chest, “Yeah.”

Another beat of silence.

“Listen… I know you’re not crazy.” At those words Jonathan felt a strange sense of joy.

Even still, Jonathan countered with, “Dude, I don't even know if I’m crazy…” He stared at the space on the floor between their feet. “I see things, I hear things that I know shouldn't be possible but it…” he grappled with his vocabulary, and gave up with a sigh and a small, “It sucks.”

Zack didn't know what to say, and thankfully Jonathan continued so he didn't have to say anything. Meanwhile, Jonathan searched himself for some word, any word that could help in telling Zack that he wanted to put cracks in his walls just big enough to let one boy through.

“I… Zack, I…” he floundered, and swallowed. “I don't really know what’s going on with me, but you… you help.” ... He tilted his head up when he realized that he couldn't think of anything else.

Zack chuckled, a grin quickly sliding into place on his face, and he dared to wrap his arms tightly around Jonathan and exclaim “I love you!” into the air.

Jonathan’s face burst out in red, and his heart picked up its pace. That was the first time he had said that he loved him. It didn't help to think about his close proximity to Zack, about their shared body heat, how alluring it all was, and how petrifying.

“...what?” he asked, hoarsely.

Zack gently pushed Jonathan back by his shoulders and looked him in the eye. “I love you, Jonathan Combs. ‘Have for a long time. And I’m not expecting you to say it back, and I’m not waiting for you to say it back and mean it. I know how you are with opening up to people, and I get it. Take your time. You don't ever have to open up to me if you don't want, I’m just glad I’m here with you. And even if you are crazy, I am _so_ proud of you. You've made it so far on your own battling your demons, and I’m _so proud_ of _you_.”

Jonathan was stunned. He had absolutely no clue how to proceed. Actually, yes, yes he did.

Jonathan kissed Zack, suddenly with no fear, suddenly feeling safe and loved and squeezed tightly in Zack’s embrace.

“You two are disgusting,” Sock commented, knowing full-well that the two wouldn't hear him. It wasn't like he meant it that much, anyway. He was a bit of a hopeless romantic at heart. It was sweet to watch Jonathan with Zack, even though it didn't make his job any easier.

Jonathan came down from the balls of his feet, unaware of the fact that he had to stand on the balls of his feet until now. But it didn't matter, his heart swelled and his smile widened. Jonathan thought about saying it back, but he didn't have to, even though Zack would love it if he did now. He knew that when he said it, because he knew he would tell him eventually, that it would be special for both of them. For now though, he settled on, “I’m proud of you, too.” He clung to his boyfriend, arms around his neck. His skin tingled at the places Zack touched, where he buried his face into his neck and where he gripped his waist and found the even with fabric, the sensation bled through.

They stared there a long time, making minor adjustments to somehow be closer, unhurried by the constraints of time.

When they did separate however, Jonathan grabbed Zack’s face with both his hands and connected their foreheads. He whispered, “Happy Pride, Zack.”

Zack chuckled, “Happy Pride, Jonathan.”


End file.
